Method of disinfecting books.



T. H. HOOD. METHOD OF DISINFECTING BOOKSJ APPLICATION FILED $313.4, 1911.

Patented 0013,1911.

ATTORNEKS THOMAS H. HOOD, OF GRE ENVILLE, MISSISSIPPI.

METHOD OF DISINFECTING BOOKS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 4,1911. Serial No. 606,518.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS H. H001), a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Greenville, county of Vashington, and State of Mississippi, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of Disinfecting Books, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is an improvement in methods of treating books, and consists in certain novel steps hereinafter set forth and claimed.

The object of the invention is to provide a method of treating books to thoroughly disinfect all parts of the books.

In the drawings F igure 1 is a perspective view of an apparatus for carrying out the process, and Fig. 2 is a vertical. section of the upper end of the apparatus.

As is well known, books, especially those in circulating libraries, are capable of transmitting and disseminating disease, by means of the germ life, acquired from handling by persons suffering from the diseases caused by the germs.

It is extremely diificult to disinfect books, because of the difficulty in applyin the medicament to the interiorof the. book, that is, to the surfaces of the leaves. From the nature. of the books, many processes capable of doing the Work, cannot be used, as for instance, heat, steam, and the like. plication of any dry disinfectants has been found futile, since to act properly upon the germ life, a certain amount of humidity must be present.

The method in question applies the disinfectant in a humid state to every part of every leaf, and is earned out as follows:

The books are arranged on their'ends, and with the covers open, at an angle of approximately 90. Preferably, a series of books are so arranged with the covers of each book connected with the adjacent covers of-the adjacent books. As a matter of convenience, the books so arranged are placed on a rotatable support. The disinfactant is arranged in a container, and some ineans for delivering a blast or current of air is arranged adjacent to the support and in such manner that the blast delivered is tangent to the support, and plays on the edges of the leaves. 'I he intake of the air delivering means is connected With a hood arranged above the. container, and it will'be evident that as the blast plays on the books,

The ap the leaves will be opened or fluttered, so that the disinfectant. in gaseous form, and mixed -with air, will reachevery part of every page, and will also rotate the support .to bring the books in succession underthe Patented Oct. 3, 1911',

the books, and the arrangement specified above, are m'erely'for convenience.

The method consists in spreading or opening the leaves of the book by a blast or current of air, and in simultaneously delivering to the spread or opened leaves, a disinfect ing substance by the same current of aiix The booksmay, however, betreated in the same manner, separately, or in lots, by pass-' ing the blast backward and forward over the books, and by reciprocating the books through the blast or current of air.

'The apparatus shown in the drawing com-- prises a standard I mounted for rotation in a step bear-mg 2, on a base 3. A plurality of shelves are supported from a cap 9 rotatable on the standard-by means of arms 10 extending downwardly and outwardly from the cap to a connection with the shelves. The arms 10 are braced against the top of the standard by brackets 11! Adjacent to the frame," and on opposite sides thereof, tables or stands 28 and 28 are arranged, and 21. preferably electric, fan 29 is supported on the top 33 of each of the tables. Each of the fans is provided withan inlet pipe 30 having a hood 3O directly above a container 32 of any suitable form, and. the outlet pipe 31 of each of the fans, is directed toward the books 25 on the shelves before mentioned. The direction of the air current discharged from the pipes 31, is tangential to the edges of thebooks,

which are arranged on the shelves standing on their ends, and with the books opened at an angle of between 45 and 90 degrees with.

respect to each other. The adjachnt covers of the adjacent books are detactfi'tibly cons J nected by means of clamps 27 so that .the books are held inthe position shown.

I t will be evident that when the fans are in operation, a mixture of air and atomized or 'gasified disinfectant as for instance formaldehyde will be drawn in through the intake 30 and discharged through the outlet 31 a ainst the books, fluttering the leaves of the same and discharging the disinfectant onto the leaves as they are opened or fluttered. The air currents will also rotate the frame, on the standard 1, thus bringing the books in. successionand intermittentlyum der the influence of the air current.

It will be evident that any other suitable form of support might be used, or that the books might be reciprocated in front of the 7 herein described, which consists in spreading or opening the leaves of the books by means ofa current of air and simultane: ously delivering to thespread or opened leaves a disinfecting substance by the same current of air which spreads or" opens the leaves.

2. The method of disinfecting books as herein described, which consists in spreading or opening and fluttering the leaves of the books by means of a current of air mixed with a disinfecting gas.

3. The method of disinfecting books as herein described, which consists in delivering a current of air mixed with a disinfecting gas against the books, While moving thebooks intermittently through the current of air.

SoLoN O. KnMon, .C. E. TRAINOR.

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing th Commissioner of Patents, I Washington, D. 0. 

